Lifestyle Behaviors and Early Diagnosis Practices of Cancer Patients

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> The aim was to determine the lifestyle behaviors and the practices for early diagnosis of cancerof cancer patients. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study. Thesample consisted of 222 patients with a diagnosis of cancer (non-random sample method). Ethical permissionwas obtained of the Non-interventional Research Ethics Committee of our Institution. Values of p<0.05 wereaccepted as statistically significant. <br/><b>Results</b>: It was observed that 54.4% of the patients had never performedbreast self-examination, 60.8% had never had a mammography, and 71.2% had never had a Pap smear. Sixty-sixpoint two percent of patients had never had screening for colon cancer within the past ten years. GIS cancerswere higher in smokers and ex-smokers (p=0.005), in drinkers and in ex-drinkers (p=0.000). The breast cancerrate was higher in obese people (p=0.019). <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: The results of this study provide information on thehealthy lifestyle behavior of cancer patients before their diagnosis, and their use of early diagnosis practices.The important aspect of this study is to extend cancer patients’ period of life after the diagnosis and treatmentprocess, to make them conscious of risky lifestyle and nutritional behavior so that they can maintain a highquality of life, and to start initiatives in this direction that would ensure changes in behavior.